A Feast of Beast

Austra - Home

Totally missed Austra’s first single to drop from upcoming sophomore Olympia LP.  

If you never checked out their first record, Feel It Break was a fantastically over looked album in 2011. “The album rests nicely with your Kate Bush and The Knife albums, but also conjures up the seedier sides of early 1980s British New Wave (think the dirty alleys and after-hours clubs dreamed up by Japan and Soft Cell.)”  Nuff said.  Grab Feel It Break on vinyl from Domino here, and be ready for Olympia to drop June 17th.

Ducktails - Letter of Intent

When I started buying records 5-6 years ago, one of the first small labels I gravitated toward was Underwater Peoples, and with those first couple of releases from them I came to love the likes of Real Estate, Julian Lynch, and Ducktails.  Many of those bands just felt like pure summer, and listening to them listlessly while soaking in the sun on a river shore always just seemed right.  Matthew Mondanile has been the solo  brains behind Ducktails, however with his latest release he’s reached out to friends abound for support ranging ‘from the backing of the New Jersey band Big Troubles to contributions from Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), Joel Ford (Ford + Lopatin), Madeline Follin (Cults) and Sam Mehran (Outer Limitz), to name a few.’ 

The fleshed out tracks keep his lazy easy going style, while embracing more vocals and sounding less lofi without that typically overproduced sound that many artists seem to be cultivating by their 4th LP. 

Ducktails - The Flower Lane LP will be available on a Ltd edition of 300 on 180g vinyl, letter press version of the album.  One time pressing, all done by hand and with care! Pre-orders are up from Domino with the record shipping 1/29.  Also available on cassette, of course!

Julia Holter - Betsy On The Roof (Echo Manor version)

Check out one of two new non-album tracks from the upcoming and very limited to 250 copies Goddess Eyes 12” to accompany the re-release of Ekstasis on Domino. 

Julia Holter - Goddess Eyes II

What a fantastically strange and beautiful video to accompany Julia’s music.  It’s the kind of thing that is both uniquely surprising, and yet exactly what I would’ve expected from her creative mind.  She just got signed to Domino, and her sophomore album Ekstasis will be receiving a re-release on heavyweight vinyl if you missed it the first time around.  

Likely more exciting to those of us already clutching our Julia Holter records, they’ll also be a new Goddess Eyes 12” which has two non-LP tracks on it.  Included on the 12” is a new rendition of Goddess Eyes plus a new studio recording of Betsy On the Roof, both performed with musicians Christopher Votek and Corey Fogel. The tracks were recorded by Votek at his Echo Manor studio in Los Angeles last month.

Julia Holter - Goddess Eyes 12” is up for pre-orde from Domino UK here and is super Ltd to only 250 copies for the UK.  Snatch it up if you’re a Julia junkie like me.  

Washed Out - Call It Off

So I’ve literally had this page on their label Weird World saved open for about a month I think, waiting for the dead link from that page to send me somewhere I could actually pick up the 12”.  Well that link is still dead, but it looks like you can finally pre-order a copy of the Amor Fati 12” via Domino/uk.

Why you can’t order it from Domino/us, where shipping doesn’t cost me twice is much is beyond me? ☠☠☠☢☢☢☣☣☣

Sorry sorry I’m done complaining.  The Amor Fati 12” is a four tracker, backed with this non-LP track, a real gem.  Side-b offers remixes by Clams Casino and Au Revoir Simone, so I’d say overall this wins.  The last bonus to speak of is that it comes with an exclusive Washed Out tot bag, always clutch for carting your vinyl out into the world to share.

Washed Out - Amor Fati 12” is available to pre-order from Domino/uk here while it lasts.  Ships 11/7

Twin Sister - Kimmi in a Ricefield

My favorite track off the new LP.

Twin Sister - Gene Ciambi

Another new one from Twin Sister’s new record In Heaven, out September 27 on Domino.  This is exquisite, her voice clearly shines above all else.  Definitely my favorite of the new tracks thus far. 

<3<3<3

Blood Orange - Sutphin Boulevard

Not gonna lie, was definitely drawn to this by the intriguing cover art while glancing through Rough Trade.  A quick search brought up this excellent gritty NYC video, and news that Blood Orange will be releasing their Coastal Grooves LP via the always respectable Domino Records on 8/30.  Rad.

Twin Sister - Peach

Image: Twin Sister live at Iron Horse July 22nd

By now you’ve probably heard the new single from Twin Sister, Bad Street available as a sweet heavy 10” from Domino Records here. This tune is a brand new demo, just released by the band today via their blog. I saw them play the Iron Horse Friday night to an intimate crowd of >100 people. Now, without too much hot wind, I have been a major fan of these kids since their debut track (at least to me) Kimmi In The Ricefield last January on The Report Vol. 1. McGregor also threw Nectarine on my custom cassette mixtape, and I’ve been devoted ever since.

So when I say this was one of the best live performances I’ve ever seen, maybe its a little biased. However my gf, whom had only given them a listen or two, and frankly whose excellent taste in music tends to run a few decades older than mine, declared it was the 2nd best show she had seen (out of easily 100+), I realized I wasn’t alone or biased. She then bought their three records immediately, despite that I own them all already.

As good as they sound recorded, their live sound is leagues above and beyond. In person you begin to see how many complex arrangements are occurring simultaneously, even in a seemingly simple song such as Bad Street. Seeing Nectarine live acoustically was so damn beautiful it, it nearly brought tears to my eyes.

Until seeing them live, I had major reservations about the new direction Bad Street was taking the debut LP, but my concerns were crushed and tossed aside. Their ability to masterfully play so wide a range from folk to funk, to the insane hard rock jam finale, was beyond impressive. Rarely do I spend so long writing up one band, but these guys deserve the effort.

See Twin Sister live. Do it. Drive the miles, you won’t regret it.

Grab their vinyl from Domino here.  Watch for the new forthcoming LP In Heaven, out September 27 from Domino Records.

Washed Out - Eyes Be Closed

This video is srsly sick.  Love the use of video projection mock movement while on a bike as opposed to olde time car scenes from the 40’s.  Her sun glassed are ill.  Washed out got a lot of hype majorly fast from only his Mexican Summer ep, and after listening to the full length non-stop, I’m not disappointed in the least. 

Washed Out - Within and Without Ltd on white, blue, red heavy weight 180g vinyl available directly from Sub Pop here

Austra - Spellwork (MNDR Nighttime Remix)

Austa consists of co-founder and lead singer Katie Stelmanis, drummer Maya Postepski and bassist Dorian Wolf.  They make dark new wave dance beats that you might liken to something from circa 1980’s London.  First impressions immediately remind me of The Knife, and something more.  These guys are destined for great things, and you can grab an assortment of vinyl including a full length LP, 7”, and 12” single remix from Domino Records.  Very impressed indeed.

Twin Sister - Bad Street

New single from Twin Sister forthcoming debut LP In Heaven, out September 27 on Domino. 

I have high aspirations for Twin Sister, as Color Your Life was a favorite release of mine in recent time.  This new single is certainly a departure, and yet I can still catch glimmers of what drew me to their EPs.  Initially I didn’t like this as much, and listening again, I think the real element of trouble is the repetitive funk beat.  Their softer sounding, more acoustic tracks like Nectarine from Vampires with Dreaming Kids just seem to hold stronger sway with me.  The new track isn’t bad, it just doesn’t immediately grab me on first impression like their earlier work.  Let’s hope for the best.

You can grab Domino’s fantastic re-release of their OOP debut EPs Color Your Life & Vampires with Dreaming Kids on heavy 2XLP 180g vinyl with beautiful double gatefold casing here. Worth every pound, shipping and all.    

Twin Sister - Meet The Frownies

Download the fantastic new Twin Sister track from Bandcamp here.  If you missed Twin Sister’s vinyl EP Color Your Life on Infinite Best, Domino Records has re-released it along with their first long out of print Vampires with Dreaming Kids EP on an awesome double 12” EP.  Except for some reason its costs more to ship it to the states (£16) than the release itself?! Do yourself a favor, save £16 & grab it from Norman Records instead; they’re good people.

*sidenote semi-rant: I Love Bandcamp.  Why did it take so long for a site to accomplish simple, user friendly, aesthetically pleasing music hosting for bands? oh right effing myspace. I hope that rots in hell*